Institute of International Relations and Political Science
10 Vokiečių str., LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 251 4130
E-mail:
www: http://www.tspmi.vu.lt
Director – Prof. Dr Margarita Šešelgytė
STAFF
54 teachers (incl. 38 holding research degree), 10 research fellows (incl. 9 holding research degree), F17 doctoral students.
DEPARTMENTS OF THE FACULTY
Department of Political Philosophy and History of Ideas
Department of Political Behaviour and Institutions
Department of International Relations
Center of European Studies
Public Administration and Policy Analysis Center
(Post)Soviet Memory Studies Center
RESEARCH AREAS
• Transformations of Lithuanian political life: practice and theory
• Evolution of the European Union after the Lisbon Treaty
• International Policy Issues, their Research Methods, and Challenges for Lithuanian Foreign Policy
DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS MAINTAINED IN 2022
Viktorija Rimaitė-Beržiūnienė Monuments in Lithuania: shaping state identity.
Neringa Bladaitė Indeterminacy of Societal Security: The Case of NATO's Small States.
Liucija Vervečkienė “They were all patriots anyway, they wanted independence”: memory work and understanding of the previous regime in the generation after the transformative turning point.
MAIN CONFERENCES ORGANIZED IN 2022
1. Annual Lithuanian political science conference "Changing world order in the face of crises."
2. International conference “Seizing the crisis moment? Germany’s changing security role in the Baltic states.“
3. Conference “The person, morality and politics: a search for philosophical alternatives.“
MAIN SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2022
1. Ramonaitė, Ainė. Does communist nostalgia lead to COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs? // European societies. Abingdon : Routledge. ISSN 1461-6696. 2022, first on line, p. [1-20]. DOI: 10.1080/14616696.2022.2132525.
2. Jastramskis, Mažvydas. Foreign policy preferences and vote choice under semi-presidentialism // Political research quarterly. Thousand Oaks, CA : SAGE Publications. ISSN 1065-9129. eISSN 1938-274X. 2022, first published online, p. [1-16]. DOI: 10.1177/10659129221119201.
3. Davoliūtė, Violeta. Agonistic homecomings: Holocaust postmemory, perspective and locality // Memory studies. Thousand Oaks : SAGE. ISSN 1750-6980. eISSN 1750-6999. 2022, vol. 15, no. 3, p. 539-550. DOI: 10.1177/17506980221085524.
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL BEHAVIOR AND INSTITUTIONS
10 Vokiečių, LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 2514130
E-mail:
Head – Prof. Dr Ainė Ramonaitė
STAFF
Professors and research professors: Dr A. Ramonaitė.
Associate professors and senior researchers: Dr J. Dementavičius, Dr L. Gudžinskas, Dr M. Jastramskis, Dr D. Šlekys, Dr I. Vinogradnaitė.
Assistant professors and researchers: Dr N. Maliukevičius, Dr I. Petronytė-Urbonavičienė, Dr L. Strupinskienė, Dr J. Ulinskaitė, Dr L. Vervečkienė.
Teaching and research assistants: J. Kavaliauskaitė, V. Jurkonis.
Doctoral students: A. Dementavičienė, R. Garškaitė-Antonowicz, P. Skirkevičius, L. V. Budreckaitė, V. Navickaitė, G. Kanapka.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Party politics and electoral behaviour
• Civil society, political participation, political attitudes and political communication
• Democracy, political institutions, comparative politics
• Studies of the Soviet-era society, Sąjūdis, collective memory of post-Soviet society
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
10 Vokiečių str., LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 2514130
E-mail:
Head – Prof. Dr Dovilė Jakniūnaitė
STAFF
Professors and research professors: Dr N. Arlauskaitė, Dr T. Janeliūnas, Dr D. Jakniūnaitė, Dr R. Vilpišauskas, Dr G. Vitkus, Dr M. Šešelgytė.
Associate professors and senior researchers: Dr K. Andrijauskas, Dr V. Kuokštis, Dr V. Sirutavičius, Dr D. Šlekys, Dr L. Strupinskienė.
Assistant professors and researchers: Dr L. Jonavičius, Dr I. Koreivaitė, Dr V. Beržiūnas, Dr E. Leonaitė, Dr N. Maliukevičius,
Teaching and research assistants: G. Biržytė, V. Jurkonis.
Doctoral students: N. Bladaitė, R. Boruta, J. Jachovič, J. Lingevičius, N. Mataitytė, A. Raginytė, I. Skurdauskaitė, S. Vaškevičiūtė, E. Indrašiūtė, I. Šakelaitė.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Analysis of the global political environment and its processes and structures
• International relations; international law; international political economy; international institutions; the foreign policy of great powers; the changing nature of world power, etc.
• Area studies: analysis of Russia, Europe (focusing on Eastern and Southern countries), the Middle East; Eastern and Southern Asia; Latin America
• Security and conflict studies
• Analysis of Lithuanian foreign policy and its security policy
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY OF IDEAS
10 Vokiečių str., LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 2514130
E-mail:
Head – Prof. Dr Alvydas Jokubaitis
STAFF
Professors and research professors: Dr V. Davoliūtė, Dr A. Jokubaitis.
Associate professors and senior researchers: Dr J. Dementavičius, Dr A. Jankauskas, Dr V. Sirutavičius, Dr I. Vinogradnaitė, Dr N. Putinaitė.
Assistant professors and researchers: Dr V. Bartninkas, Dr L. Jokubaitis, Dr G. Karalius, Dr V. Mačkinis, Dr V. Rimaitė-Beržiūnienė.
Teaching and research assistants: J. Kavaliauskaitė.
Professor of practice: Dr K. Girnius.
Doctoral students: A. Dementavičienė, L. Ivanauskas, G. Norkūnaitė, D. Kaminskas.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Politics and the self
• Three strategies of accelerating political modernisation: the interwar period, the Soviet years, and the post-Soviet era
• Contradictions of modern political life
• The relationship between democracy and the republic
10 Vokiečių str., LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 2514130
E-mail:
Head – Prof. Dr Gediminas Vitkus
STAFF
Professors and research professors: Dr R. Vilpišauskas, Dr G. Vitkus.
Associate professors and senior researchers: Dr L. Gudžinskas, Dr V. Kuokštis, Dr N. Putinaitė.
Assistant professors and researchers: Dr E. Leonaitė, Dr G. Karalius.
Teaching and research assistants: R. Švedas.
Professor of practice: Dr D. Kriaučiūnas.
Doctoral students: M. Bernatavičius, S. A. Spurga.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Topics related to contemporary Europe, from its internal structure to its place in the wider world, focusing on the European Union and its member states
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY ANALYSIS CENTRE
10 Vokiečių str., LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 2514130
E-mail:
Head – Prof. Dr Vitalis Nakrošis
STAFF
Professors and research professors: Dr V. Nakrošis, Dr R. Vilpišauskas.
Associate professors and senior researchers: Dr E. Barcevičius, Dr Ž. Martinaitis, Dr V. Kuokštis.
Assistant professors and researchers: Dr I. Petronytė-Urbonavičienė.
Teaching and research assistants: R. Švedas, L. Jurkonis, V. Pukinaitė.
Doctoral students: R. Bortkevičiūtė, I. Patkauskaitė – Tiuchtienė, A. Diržinskaitė.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Research in all areas of the discipline: public administration, public policy process, and public policy analysis
THE (POST)SOVIET MEMORY STUDIES CENTER
10 Vokiečių str., LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 2514130
E-mail:
www.memory.tspmi.vu.lt
Head – Prof. Dr Ainė Ramonaitė
STAFF
Professors and research professors: Dr A. Ramonaitė, Dr V. Davoliūtė.
Associate professors and senior researchers: Dr I. Vinogradnaitė, Dr J. Dementavičius.
Assistant professors and researchers: Dr J. Ulinskaitė, Dr L. Vervečkienė.
Teaching and research assistants: J. Kavaliauskaitė, M. Pakalnytė.
Doctoral students: V.Budreckaitė, R. Garškaitė-Antonowicz.
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2022
National Research Projects
How Do Deep-Seated Cultural Views Shape Immigration Attitudes in Europe? The Role of Nation Hood Conceptions. (No. S-PD-22-89). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Ainė Ramonaitė. 2022–2024. This project will seek to answer the following overarching research question: how do individual understandings of national identity shape people's views towards immigration in Europe? The project will proceed in three stages, each addressing the existing literature's limitations. The first one will focus on Central and Eastern European countries and seek to assess the degree to which immigration attitudes depend on individual understandings of nationhood in the region and whether this relationship is conditioned by country-level characteristics. The second part of the project will engage with the attitudes of immigrants themselves towards migration and explore to what extent these attitudes are shaped by conceptions of nationhood, as well as the amount of time spent in the country of immigration. Finally, a meta-analysis of the already published quantitative studies focusing on the impact of various national identity variables (e.g. the strength of national identification, national pride, the content of national identity, etc.) on immigration attitudes will be conducted.
Eastern European Leftist Feminisms and Their Political Visions: Alternative Narratives of Belonging in Pluralistic Societies. (No. S-PD-22-99). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Dovilė Jakniūnaitė. 2022–2024. This research seeks to explore the ways in which Eastern European left-wing feminist activists, politicians, and thinkers re-articulate their sociopolitical vision in the face of national security threats presented by the Russian regime. In particular, this study focuses on Lithuanian, Latvian, Polish, Moldovan, and Ukrainian self-identified left-wing feminists and their responses to the influx of refugees from Muslim minority countries at their borders and to the war in Ukraine. The underlying question that guides this research is that of alternative belonging in the context of a nation-state under geopolitical threat and the interventions of radical feminist theory into the dominant narratives of nation-building.
Supervising Artistic Autonomy: the Arts and Cultural Policy in Lithuania. (No. S-PD-22-94). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Natalija Arlauskaitė. 2022–2024. This research focuses on the issue of valuation in artistic practice. It takes its point of departure from the cultural policy dilemma, where the establishment of institutional autonomy (or the arm's length principle) seeks to protect art from political instrumentalism, whereas, on the other hand, there stand the issues caused by the art institution's own priorities. Art is subjected to hegemonic decisions about which art and artists are deemed good, valuable, or worthy of funding and representation, which also implies the related risks of elitism and a systemic lack of permeability and opacity. The artist is not in a position of power in the institution because the decisions regarding representation and financing are not made by the artist, neither is cultural policy formed by them, yet it is the artist who generates the product essential for the institution to operate – the artwork.
Factors and Actors Contributing to the Willingness to Defend One's Own Country: the Case of Latvia, Lithuania, and Taiwan. (No. S-LLT-22-1). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania and the Ministry of Science and Technology (Taiwan). Prof. Dr Ainė Ramonaitė, Dr Deividas Šlekys, Aurelija Tylaitė. 2022–2024. The project aims to uncover, analyse, and compare factors and actors contributing to the willingness to defend one's own country in Latvia, Lithuania, and Taiwan and thereby extend the current universal toolkits and hypotheses in assessing the willingness. Based on a review of theoretical literature and previous research dedicated to nationally representative public surveys, interviews, an experiment, and comparison to other cases, the project will provide policy-oriented proposals for increasing the willingness level and will contribute to the scientific literature in the field by extending the current toolkits and hypotheses in assessing the willingness. In practical terms, the project will deliver three scientific peer-review articles, a book, and two public discussions, thereby conducting proactive public outreach. No less importantly, the project will advance the scientific cooperation and exchange between the Baltic states and Taiwan in the social sciences. Given the surrounding geopolitical grievances in both regions, the project has the potential to raise public recognition of the issue and also Baltic-Taiwanese cooperation.
The Republican Concept of Civic Participation: an Analysis of P. Pettit's Theory. (No. S-ST-22-123). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Vilius Bartninkas, Elžbieta Žutautaitė. 2022–2023. While guaranteeing human rights and freedoms, the modern liberal state is unable to effectively mobilise citizens and encourage different socio-political groups to participate in public life. The theory of civic republicanism presented by Philip Pettit proposes a model of inclusive civic participation. By developing a concept of freedom as a concept of non-domination, this theory distances itself from the positive and negative freedoms that have so far dominated political philosophy. By constructing an instrumental application of civic virtue, civic republicanism lays the groundwork for the development of political institutions driven by civil society and promotes accountability of government. In order to preserve the established freedom of non-domination, citizens develop a critical attitude towards political institutions and take on the responsibility of maintaining a continuous presence in private and public life. The rejection of the common good inherent in classical republicanism creates opportunities for the inclusion of so far politically marginalised socio-political groups in the civic space. Civic republicanism, in the context of non-domination, provides a common political metalanguage for all, which becomes a favourable medium for articulating the political needs and interests of different groups. All this shows that the theory of civic republicanism can provide an attractive and inclusive model of civic participation in a modern pluralistic society.
The Transmission of Trauma in the Work of Post-exile Generations: an Analysis of the Novel' Sibiro haiku' and the Documentary Film 'Gyveno senelis ir bobutė'. (No. S-SV-22-80). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Violeta Davoliūtė, Gabrielė Blikertaitė. 2022. The main aim of the project is to develop the student's scientific competencies by implementing research on how the memory and cultural trauma of the people who were deported from Lithuania between 1940 and 1953 is mediated in the works of the later (second and third) post-memory generations. The research analyses two pieces by the post-memory generations – the children's graphic novel 'Sibiro haiku' by J. Vilė and L. Itagaki and the documentary film 'Gyveno senelis ir bobutė' by G. Beinoriūtė, by looking at these products of cultural memory as a lens through which the phenomenon of cultural/collective trauma can be perceived. The research and its results are relevant at the international level by studying the works of the post-memory generations of deportation from relatively new theoretical perspectives of post-memory and cultural trauma and by applying them in the context of memory studies in Lithuania. They are also applicable at the national level by attempting to understand how the mediation of collective trauma through cultural products enables the descendants of deportees to make sense of their family history and expand the perception of the effects of deportation within the wider society of Lithuania.
The Role of the Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) Diaspora From the Serb Part of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republika Srpska) In Transitional Justice After the Bosnian War. (No. S-SV-22-127). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Lina Strupinskienė, Melita Vilkevičiūtė. 2022. The qualitative field research will involve the participatory observation and interview collection in the Republika Srpska (the Serb part of Bosnia and Herzegovina) to understand the impact and potential of the diaspora on the healing processes in post-conflict societies. Interviews will be conducted with Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) who left the territory of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian war (1992–1995) or within five years of its end and who maintain links with their home country, for example, by returning to commemorative events. The work will contribute to the academic literature on transitional justice, conflict and peace studies, and transnational social movements, where the involvement of the diaspora in memory formation processes is still poorly addressed, especially in territories that remained homogenous after the conflicts and still deny the crimes committed. The work will draw parallels between the Bosniak diaspora and the Ukrainian diaspora that will emerge due to Russia's hostilities in Ukraine. It will also provide insights into how the Ukrainian diaspora can be empowered in future post-conflict processes, following the example of the Bosniak diaspora.
The Concept of Monadic Identity in the Philosophy of G. W. Leibniz. (No. S-SV-22-143). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Alvydas Jokubaitis, Neda Slausgalvytė. 2022. The project aims to clarify how the monadic identity is defined in Leibniz's philosophy. Given the nature of monism found there – that the Monads are ascribed the same qualitative nature, but quantitative diversity also appears as a necessity – it is sought to uncover the content on which such quantitative diversity can be created. Considering the nature of modal metaphysics and the isolation of the Monad in relation to the outside, the key question posed in the project is: how can the contents of the outside world be productively (even more so, indispensably) involved in the definition of the identity of the Monad, if the aim is to maintain it as substantively autonomous in relation to the outside itself? It is expected that the discovery of the answer will not only contribute to the limited research on Leibniz's philosophy but, by clarifying the concepts Leibniz uses to discuss the monadic identity, it will also be useful for further research, which focuses mainly on the notion of subjectivity found in Kant's philosophy.
The Phenomenon of Political Leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Context of War: A Qualitative Analysis of Strategic Communication. (No. S-SV-22-72). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Nerijus Maliukevičius, Elžbieta Kriaučiūnaitė. 2022. Through qualitative content analysis, the research will analyse the political communication of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the context of the war. The research questions are 1) What communication strategies does V. Zelensky use? 2) How does the President of Ukraine use political rhetoric to assert political leadership in wartime? 3) What is the relationship between Zelensky's non-verbal and verbal communication? Although political leaders' verbal and non-verbal communication has been studied in other countries, research on such communication is not common in Lithuania. In this regard, this research will contribute to the academic field of political communication in Lithuania, contribute to the general understanding of the relationship between verbal and non-verbal communication messages of political leaders, and provide a better understanding of how political leadership is shaped in the context of war.
The Opening of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Vilnius: Process Tracing Research. (No. S-SV-22-83). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Tomas Janeliūnas, Laura Naudžiūnaitė. 2022. Lithuania decided to allow the opening of a Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius in 2021. This move sparked strong resentment from the People's Republic of China and caused unofficial trade sanctions against Lithuania. This decision by the Lithuanian government is also viewed ambivalently in Lithuania, with the majority of the public not supporting or understanding the decision, which has resulted in a deterioration of relations with China. This research will use a process tracing approach to collect data that will reveal the detailed process and reasons behind this decision. The project's main activity is to conduct interviews with the actors involved in the political process.
The Role of the Institution of Lithuanian Presidency in the Domestic Politics from 1993 to 2024. (No. S-MIP-22-21). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Mažvydas Jastramskis. 2022–2024. The objective of the project is to investigate the influence of Lithuanian presidents on the Seimas, the Lithuanian government, and other important state institutions and society, assessing and conceptualising the role of the institution of the presidency in domestic politics in general. The research aims to examine what areas of domestic politics Lithuanian presidents sought to influence through formal (veto, initiation of legislation) and informal instruments (the power of public words, annual speeches). The research also aims to ascertain what motives led the presidents to their actions and, what objective factors influenced their success, what the impact of presidents was on the formation of governments and the appointments of other officials. The results of the research will conceptualise the model of the Lithuanian presidency: what type of semi-presidential republic it corresponds to and what the role and essential functions of the president are.
Labour Market Institutions and the Political Economy of Exchange Rates. (No. S-MIP-22-20). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Vytautas Kuokštis. 2022–2025. This project seeks to analyse the influence of labour market institutions on the political economy of exchange rates. It focuses on the following dependent variables: sustainability of fixed currency regimes, preferences of interest groups over exchange rate regimes, and the influence on economic growth. Despite copious literature on these topics, existing empirical studies have so far neglected the impact of labour market flexibility.
Between Nationalism, Globalism, and Ideologies: Analysis of M. Nussbaum's Concept of Justice. (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-25-0171). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Vilius Bartninkas, Laisvūnas Čekavičius. 2021–2022. The main goal of this project is to enhance the student's research competencies by implementing political theory research with the aim of reconstructing the concept of justice proposed by Martha Nussbaum. The relevance of this topic is determined by the complicated realisation of international justice: the scale of injustice has been increasing because of economic globalisation, as well as the rising threat of isolationist nationalism. This research analyses one of the latest philosophical responses to these problems formulated by Nussbaum, suggesting a global, materialist, and liberal concept of justice. This research seeks to find out whether inter-ideological consensus regarding this model is possible and whether the concept of justice proposed by Nussbaum would not eliminate the cultural and national specificities of countries.
Post-Memory and Transgenerational Trauma: Historical Consciousness Analysis of the Second and Third Generation Descendants of Deportees. (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-25-0137). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Violeta Davoliūtė, Gabrielė Blikertaitė. 2021–2022. The main goal of this project is to enhance the student's competencies by implementing a research project on how the memory and traumatic experiences of Lithuanian inhabitants deported from 1940 to 1953 are transmitted to their descendants, how the past repressions form and affect the deportee descendants' identity, as well as how this identity is transforming in the second generation (raised during the Soviet era) and the third generation (raised in independent Lithuania). The research will analyse the historical consciousness of Lithuanian deportee descendants by employing the concept of post-memory, which is still novel in the field of social memory studies. It reveals how the memory of traumatic historical experiences transmits them to the descendants of survivors, as well as how this process works in familial and cultural spheres.
The Securitisation of Vaccines in Lithuania: Dual Typology, Origins, and Implications. (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-25-0050). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Dovilė Jakniūnaitė, Marijonas Mikaitis. 2021–2022. The main goal of this project is to improve the student's research competencies by implementing research that analyses a new phenomenon – the securitisation of vaccines. The project enables a dual typology of vaccine securitisation to be formulated, overviewing the origins of this phenomenon, its drivers, and some implications that this process may have on the national security of Lithuania. Bearing in mind the novelty and scarce research of these processes both in Lithuania and internationally, this investigation could lay the foundation for the typology of vaccine securitisation based on the empirical case of Lithuania, thereby contributing to the field of public health securitisation. In relation to the current developments of the pandemic in Lithuania, the interviews conducted during this research project could reveal a unique perspective on the processes of vaccine securitisation that have not been researched in Lithuania before.
The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Rwandan National Reconciliation Politics. (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-25-0116). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Lina Strupinskienė, Urtė Jakubėnaitė. 2021–2022. The main goal of this research is to contribute to the general field of research on internal processes and development trends in Africa by providing relevant data. The research aims to improve the research competencies of the student by carrying out an analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on national reconciliation politics in Rwanda. Despite being a health crisis, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly influenced many other spheres. Different states adopted different strategies to stop the virus from spreading and as a means of curbing its consequences. Based on the previous experiences of force majeure disasters, which had not only unexpected but also impactful, destructive effects, academics point out that this crisis and its results may also have been abused. Therefore, the pandemic has contributed to the accumulation of power in non-democratic regimes, as well as to the expansion of their interests and influence both nationally and globally.
The Strategic Autonomy of the EU in Security and Defence Policies: Varying Understandings of Member States and the Search for a Common Position. Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-25-0069). Prof. Dr Tomas Janeliūnas, Annamaria Cantore. 2021–2022. The aim of this research project is to improve the student's research competencies by implementing an analysis of how different EU member states understand the concept of strategic autonomy. The project will specifically examine what is sought by trying to create European strategic autonomy in the spheres of security and defence. The strategic autonomy of the EU is described as "the ability to act alone under certain conditions and with partners when it is possible". Also, the EU Global Strategy of 2016 highlighted the goal of creating a more effective defence and security policy for the EU and member states, emphasising the importance of the defence industry to strategic autonomy and suggesting that a comprehensive defence strategy should be created.
Who is Safe in Lithuania? Analysis of Single-Mandate Constituencies in Lithuania. (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-25-0162). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Mažvydas Jastramskis, Rugilė Andrejevskytė. 2021–2022. The main goal of this research is to enhance the student's scientific competencies by implementing research that seeks to find out if Lithuania has safe constituencies ('safe seats'), how they form, and why they fall. Even though there is a lack of consensus on the definition of safe constituencies, they are usually defined as single-mandate districts where the same party or candidate always wins. Despite the fact that safe constituencies have already been researched in other countries (e.g., the UK and the US), they have barely been analysed in Lithuania. Considering that, this analysis will provide some novelty in the academic field of the Lithuanian electoral system, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the causes and premises for the formation of safe constituencies and allowing the concept of a safe constituency to be better defined.
The Development of Cyber Security on the Individual Level – Are Lithuanians Well-Prepared to Protect Their Data? (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-25-0159). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Vilius Mačkinis, Rugilė Katinaitė. 2021–2022. The goal of the project is to improve the student's skills through an independent implementation of research and contribution to the existing research of cyber security concentrating on the individual level. This research aims to analyse the individual-level issues of cyber security, considering the institutional recommendations and citizens' personal responsibility to protect their data following the prepared guidelines. Stressing the importance of the EU when coordinating the PESCO initiative and the significant role of Lithuania in it, creating personal-level resilience to cyber threats is encouraged. Cooperating with officials of various public institutions and IT engineers, the researcher will seek to demonstrate the importance of the partnership between an individual and the state. Personal freedom online must be regarded responsibly in order to avoid even greater damage, not only to the individual but also to the state.
How Programs Turn into Policies: The Implementation of Electoral Promises of Single-Mandate Constituency Members of Seimas in Lithuania During the Term of 2016-2020. (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-25-0221). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Ieva Petronytė-Urbonavičienė, Aušrinė Diržinskaitė. 2021–2022. The implementation of public policy begins with intentions. Therefore, political promises are an indispensable part of democracy and public policy. However, there is so far no consensus regarding their real value in the political process. Recently, analysis has begun to examine the promises of Western European and Canadian politicians and aspects relevant to the implementation of these electoral pledges; however, there have been no systemic and methodologically sound evaluations of the activities of the Lithuanian Members of Parliament. This project seeks to understand how the electoral promises of single-mandate constituency candidates are related to the decisions implemented in Lithuania and the preconditions for turning these programmes into real political means. This analysis aims to solve a theoretical and empirical dispute on what political promises really mean in the process of policy implementation. It also seeks to broaden the methodological, geographical, and systemic scope of research on political promise implementation by including the case of Lithuania as a mixed electoral system and concentrating on the implementation of electoral promises in the majoritarian element – single-mandate constituencies.
The Effect of the Kremlin's Disinformation on the National Security of Italy. (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-25-0175). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Margarita Šešelgytė, Paulė Baziukaitė. 2021–2022. This research project seeks to improve the student's competencies to carry out independent research. The goal of this research is to understand the effect of the Kremlin's disinformation on Italian national security, to accumulate new knowledge on the real scale of the Kremlin's hybrid attacks in Italy, and to assess the immunity of the country's security strategy to the false narratives of Russia. Since Lithuanian and Italian security cooperation is increasing, this topic is gaining exceptional importance to Lithuania and the whole Baltic region. Based on the experience of the Baltic states in this research field, new conclusions and recommendations could be generated; the effectiveness of current security strategies against the threats of the Kremlin's disinformation campaigns could be critically assessed.
The DNA of Seimas Promises: What and Why Did Single-Mandate Constituency Candidates Promise and How Successful Will They Be in the Implementation of Their Promises? (No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-25-0160). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Jogilė Ulinskaitė, Miglė Palujanskaitė. 2021–2022. This project seeks to improve the student's competencies in the field of (post)electoral research, creating and (or) enhancing an instrument to assess the potential of promises made by the members of the Seimas elected in single-mandate constituencies. This project will implement a qualitative analysis of the promises made by single-mandate constituency members of Seimas. Quantitative data analysis employing data processing software (SPSS, R Studio, etc.) will also be conducted, and finally, conclusions will be formulated. These activities are meant to improve the method for analysing political promises, to review the already collected data, and to contribute to the research in the field of (post)electoral studies and public policy by enhancing the understanding of the Lithuanian electoral system and the role of single-mandate constituency members of parliament in it.
Memories of War and Their Relevance for the Conflict: The Case of Chechnya (Project No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-23-0160). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Violeta Davoliūtė, Dr Marat Iliyasov. 2021–2023. The primary objective of this project is to develop the scientific competencies of the research fellow through a study of Chechen memories of the Chechnyan wars that took place in 1994–1996 and 1999–2009. The project will provide opportunities for the development of research skills and foster a leading researcher in the field of Chechen war memory. This is especially important as, given the limited research in this field, there is a shortage of specialists in this research area in Europe. The project will contribute to the collection of memories of the aforementioned Chechen wars and the assessment of the sustainability of peace. As a result, the project will provide a basis for further research in collective memory, conflict, and related areas.
Mobility, Migration, and the COVID-19 Epidemic: Governing Emergencies in Lithuania and Poland. Agreement No. S-LL-21-11. Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania and the Polish National Science Centre (NCN), Prof. Dr Dovilė Jakniūnaitė, Prof. Dr Natalija Arlauskaitė, Dr Erika Leonaitė, Neringa Mataitytė. 2021–2024. The research project seeks to examine forms of governance over mobility (including international migration) in Lithuania and Poland during COVID-19. Its aim is to contribute: 1) to conceptualise mobility and migration within the perspective of emergency governance; 2) to investigate the wider socio-political roots of the emergency policies towards mobility and migration. The study also enables a comparative empirical analysis of the emergency governance models adopted by Poland and Lithuania, and the roots of such policies, thus contributing to the ongoing discussion on the variation of the responses of individual states to the COVID-19 crisis and the alleged specific characteristics of the responses of 'new' European Union (EU) member states (MS).
Post-communist Transformation as the Dismantling of the Soviet Modernity Project. Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Jogilė Ulinskaitė, Prof. Dr Ainė Ramonaitė, Rosita Garškaitė, Valda Budreckaitė, Paulius Vijeikis, Monika Verbalytė. 2021–2022. The objective of the project is to examine the experiences of Lithuanians during the post-Soviet transformation period. The research assesses whether and how the post-Soviet transformation may be regarded as the ending of the Soviet modernity project. This research aims to analyse how the collapse of the Soviet modernity project and its political deconstruction have been experienced by the people of Lithuania, what kind of emotions this period evokes today and why, what aspects of transformation are recalled as the most vivid, traumatising, cheerful, or astonishing. Also, it attempts to understand whether and how these narratives of the post-communist transformation of Lithuania can be interpreted as the experiences of the conclusion of the modernisation process.
The Continuation or the Invention of Tradition: Cultivating Religious and National Identities among Lithuanian Immigrants in Norway (No. 09.3.3.-LMT-K-712). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Dr Eglė Kesylytė-Alliks. 2020–2022. The overall objective of this project is to explore the role that Christian religious identities and institutions play in the national socialisation of individuals within the context of migration in the European region. In 2020, the researcher carried out field research in Lithuania and Norway, gave a lecture and led three seminars on the topic of her research, prepared two draft papers for international peer-reviewed journals, and actively communicated her research on the social media of the TSPMI VU.
The Resilience of Welfare State Institutions in Lithuania: The Influence of Significant Events on Adapting to Systemic Threats During 2004–2020. (No. S-GEV-21-3). Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Vitalis Nakrošis, Prof. Dr Ramūnas Vilpišauskas, Rasa Bortkevičiūtė, Inga Patkauskaitė-Tiuchtienė. 2021–2022. The aim of this project is to determine the impact of significant events that caused various crises, emergencies, and environmental and other disasters on public governance, public policy, and institutional structure in Lithuania (2004–2020). The research aims to explain the adaptation of welfare state institutions to systemic threats and provide recommendations for the improvement of their resilience. The project combines retrospective and prospective approaches. The embedded case study methodology will be employed to assess the adaptation of welfare institutions caused by the reaction to external and internal shocks. Four significant events will be analysed in this project – events marked by their high-level impact, the attention afforded to them by society and political leaders, as well as the resulting changes in public governance, public policy, and institutional structure. In order to contribute to the resilience of welfare institutions to systemic threats, the project will provide recommendations to decision-makers that are based on EU Member States' best practices and the contributions of various stakeholders.
The Modern Problem of the Relationship Between Morality and Politics: The Challenge for Western and Lithuanian Philosophy. Funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. Prof. Dr Alvydas Jokubaitis, Dr Simas Čelutka, Dr Aistė Noreikaitė. 2021–2022. The goal of the project is to initiate a dialogue based on the philosophies of Robert Spaemann and Hannah Arendt – two thinkers who sought a constructive alternative to modern thought about the relationship between morality and politics. Their insights on moral and political ontologies are brought together to articulate an integral explanation of the moral and the political in the concept of a person. The aim of this integration of Spaemann's and Arendt's ideas is to advance a new perspective on the complexities of Western and Lithuanian modernities, at the centre of which lies the fundamental problem of morality and politics. This conceptual strategy allows one to develop the personalist conceptions of morality and politics of Stasys Šalkauskis and Antanas Maceina.
International Research Projects
Facing the Past. Public History for a Stronger Europe (EUROPAST). Horizon Europe project under the Twinning call. Prof. Dr Violeta Davoliūtė. 2022–2025. By building on the potential of networking for excellence through knowledge transfer and the exchange of best practices, the EUROPAST project aims to: 1) leverage the expertise and programmes of leading European institutions to increase the capacity of the interdisciplinary Public History Group at VU; 2) raise the research profile of VU and strengthen its capacities for the management of research; 3) form a national centre of excellence, which will assimilate and transfer state-of-the-art research on public history to the broader community of researchers, practitioners, and institutions at the national, regional (CEE), and EU levels.
Teaching, Researching, and Debating Contemporary European Issues (TRENDS). Jean Monnet Chair project. Funded by Erasmus+. Prof. Dr Ramūnas Vilpišauskas. 2020–2023. The project aims at revising, expanding, and upgrading EU studies on both bachelor and master levels to systemically integrate contemporary European issues into the study curriculum of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science and expand the accessibility of EU studies to the students of other departments of Vilnius University.
Measuring and Comparing Achievements of Learning Outcomes in Higher Education in Europe – Extension (CALOHEx). Funded by Erasmus+. Dr Lina Strupinskienė. 2020–2022. Five highly sophisticated European Qualifications Reference Frameworks and the related Assessment Reference Frameworks covering the popular subject areas of Business Administration, Information Engineering /ICT, International Relations, Medicine, and Performing and Fine Arts will be the main outcome of this project. They come in addition to the frameworks prepared by the project 'Measuring and Comparing Achievements of Learning Outcomes in Higher Education in Europe (2016-2018)' (https://www.calohee.eu) and together will impact a very large segment of higher education studies. The Frameworks will enable relevant and high-quality degree programmes to be developed to prepare students best for their societal role, i.e. for the workplace, by bridging the identified 'skills gap' and fostering active citizens. Towards this last purpose, a sophisticated qualifications framework and a related assessment framework will be developed to prepare first and second-cycle students for civic, social, and cultural engagement.
The Baltic-Nordic Network for the Advancement of Methodology in Area Studies (BAMSE 2022). Funded by the Nordplus Higher Education Programme. Prof. Dr Violeta Davoliūtė, Dr Jogilė Ulinskaitė, PhD student Valda Budreckaitė. The Baltic-Nordic Network for the Advancement of Methodology in Area Studies (BAMSE 2022) promotes state-of-the-art research and education in area studies in the Baltic-Nordic area by concentrating on the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of area studies. One of the key activities of BAMSE 2022 was an intensive course for advanced bachelor's and master's students in spring 2022, which took place in Tartu, Estonia.
EU Foreign Policy Facing New Realities: Perceptions, Contestation, Communication, and Relations. COST activity. Prof. Dr Dovilė Jakniūnaitė. 2018–2022. The main aims and objectives of the Action are to improve our understanding of the central properties of European Union foreign policy in times of major internal and external change and to develop strategies to help practitioners to make the EU more resilient. This Action addresses the following issues: how these new foreign policy realities could be conceptualised, how they impact European views and practices, and what can be recommended to the EU.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki (Finland);
Alma Mater Studiorum - Universita Di Bologna (Italy);
Coimbra Group Asbl (Belgium);
Consortium For Accreditation In Higher Education (The Netherlands);
Education for an Interdependent World (Belgium);
European Alliance for Subject-Specific and Professional Accred (Germany);
European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (Belgium);
European Students´Union (ESU) (Belgium);
Glasgow University (UK);
Grupo Compostela De Universidades (Spain);
Grupo Santander (Spain);
Institute of International Affairs and Centre for Small States Studies, University of Iceland (Iceland);
Institute of Political Science at Academia Sinica (Taiwan);
Institute of Political Science, National Sun Yat-sen University (Taiwan);
Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi Billedkunstskolerne (Denmark);
Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History (Germany);
Lund University (Sweden);
Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH, Luxembourg);
Reseau Des Universites des Capitales de L'eur (Belgium);
Rīga Stradiņš University (Latvia);
Stichting EQ-Arts - Enhancing Quality in the Arts (The Netherlands);
Stichting Nuffic (The Netherlands);
Umea Universitet (Sweden);
Universidad de la Iglesia de Deusto Entidad Religiosa (Spain);
Universidade Aberta (Portugal);
Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal);
University of Groningen (The Netherlands);
University of St. Thomas (USA);
Utrecht Network (Italy);
Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania);
ZZF Potsdam (Germany).
OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Prof. N. Arlauskaitė
• editorial board member of the journal Colloquia, http://www.llti.lt/lt/colloquia/;
• co-chair of the Cultural Memory & Media workgroup at the NECS (European Network for Cinema and Media Studies), https://necs.org/members/workgroup/5393.
Assoc. Prof. J. Dementavičius
• editor-in-chief of the journal Politologija, http://www.journals.vu.lt/politologija.
Prof. A. Jokubaitis
• editorial board member of the journal Baltic Journal of Political Science, http://www.zurnalai.vu.lt/baltic-journal-of-political-science;
• editorial board member of the journal Politologija, http://www.journals.vu.lt/politologija;
• academic editorial board member of the journal Teoria Polityki (Theory of Politics), http://www.ejournals.eu/TP/;
• editorial board member of the journal Politeja (The Journal of the Faculty of International and Political Studies of the Jagiellonian University), https://www.ceeol.com/search/journal-detail?id=299;
• editorial board member of the journal Horyzonty Polityki, https://horyzonty.ignatianum.edu.pl/index.php/HP.
Prof. V. Nakrošis
• advisory board member of the journal Administrative Culture (by Tallinn University of Technology), http://halduskultuur.eu/journal/index.php/HKAC/index;
• expert for Sustainable Governance Indicators Survey, http://www.sgi-network.org/2018/Expert_Network.
Prof. A. Ramonaitė
• editorial board member of the journal Politologija, http://www.journals.vu.lt/politologija;
• collaborator with the Comparative Study of Electoral Studies, http://www.csesblog.org/2016/09/lithuania/;
• member of the board of The Consortium for European Research with Election Studies, http://www.trincoll.edu/~markfranklin/CERES%20general%20meeting%2717%20minutes.pdf;
• signatory of MOU, network member, https://www.monitoringdemocracy.eu/networks.
Prof. R. Vilpišauskas
• editorial board member of the journal Lietuvos metinė strateginė apžvalga (Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review), http://www.lka.lt/lt/moksline-veikla/leidiniai/lithuanian-annual-strategic-qg5w/about.html;
• international advisory board member of the Journal of Baltic Studies, https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=rbal20;
Prof. G. Vitkus
• editorial board member of the journal Politologija, http://www.journals.vu.lt/politologija;
• editor-in-chief of the journal Lietuvos metinė strateginė apžvalga (Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review), http://www.lka.lt/lt/moksline-veikla/leidiniai/lithuanian-annual-strategic-qg5w/about.html;
• international advisory board member of the Journal of International Relations and Development, https://www.palgrave.com/gp/journal/41268/about/editorial-board
Assoc. Prof. L. Gudžinskas
• deputy editor of the journal Politologija,
• general secretary of Lithuanian Political Science Association;
• general secretary of the Central European Political Science Association.
Assoc. Prof. A. Jankauskas
• editorial board member of the journal Politologija, http://www.journals.vu.lt/politologija;
• editorial board member of the journal Lietuvos metinė strateginė apžvalga (Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review), http://www.lka.lt/lt/moksline-veikla/leidiniai/lithuanian-annual-strategic-qg5w/about.html.
Prof. M. Šešelgytė
• editorial board member of the Journal on Baltic Security (till 2015 - Baltic Security and Defence Review), http://www.baltdefcol.org/?id=691.
Dr Nerijus Maliukevičius -
• editorial board member of the journal Defence Strategic Communications, https://www.stratcomcoe.org/academic-journal-defence-strategic-communications.
BEST REPORTS DELIVERED AT CONFERENCES ABROAD
1. Dr Vytautas Kuokštis, Labor Market Flexibility and Exchange Rate Regimes, European Political Science Association Annual Conference, Prague, June 23-25, 2022.
2. Dr Inga Vinogradnaitė, The impact of technocratic government on the relationship between the legislature and the executive: evidence from Lithuania, ECPR General Conference, University of Innsbruck, August 22-26, 2022.
3. Dr Ieva Giedraitytė, Analysing Western Images of the Global Order after February 2022: Sharing the Same dreams and dreaming the Same Nightmares?, EISA PEC: Pandaemonium: Interrogating the Apocalyptic Imaginaries of Our Time, Athens, September 1-4. 2022.
5. Rasa Bortkevičiūtė, The Impact of Recurring Significant Events on Change and Resilience Building; Advancing citizen engagement via digital tools: A comparative study of the Baltic States, EGPA 2022 Conference: Public administration for the sustainable future of our societies, Lisbon, September 6-9, 2022.
6. Dr Vilius Mačkinis, Strategies for the Baltic Advancement: Understanding Concept of Progress in the Baltic States, 28th Biennal AABS Conference, "Baltic Studies at a Crossroads", Seattle, May 27-29, 2022.
MOST IMPORTANT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS RECEIVED FOR R&D ACTIVITIES
1. Prof. Violeta Davoliūtė received an award for outstanding annual scientific achievements, as well as for her contribution to the development of research at the University and in Lithuania and for raising the prestige of the University's research in the world in 2022.
MOST IMPORTANT PARTICIPATION CASES OF RESEARCHERS IN WORKING GROUPS OR COMMISSIONS SET UP BY STATE AUTHORITIES, STATE AND MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS, BUSINESS ENTITIES
G. Karalius
• member of the Film Indexing Commission
T. Janeliūnas
• member of the Judicial Ethics and Discipline Commission
I. Vinogradnaitė
• member of the Humanitarian and Social Sciences Committee at the Lithuanian Research Council
R. Švedas
• Board Member of LTG (Lithuanian Railways)
G. Vitkus
• member of the board at Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education
CONSULTATIONS PROVIDED BY THE UNIT TO THE PUBLIC OR ECONOMIC ENTITIES
1. Consultations to the Open Government Unit of the Communications Department of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on the development of a methodology for assessing the openness maturity of public authorities;
2. In-depth interview provided for the analysts from the European Commission's Directorate General JUST (DG JUST) for the study "Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme study: stakeholder analysis and monitoring framework";
3. Lecture series for NATO EFP troops (Dutch rotation) on "Russian disinformation attacks", Rukla;
4. Lecture series "Media and the Challenges of Disinformation" for students of the Lithuanian Journalism Centre;
5. Consultations for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania on examination of candidates for diplomatic service.
MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
1. Comments on political events and phenomena for the mass media (interviews, written comments, debates) – 43 researchers and PhD students made comments in 2022 (the total number of comments (including repetitions) was approximately 5,500). The main topics were the war in Ukraine, sanctions, the functioning of the Lithuanian party system and political institutions, Russian foreign and domestic policy, American politics;
2. Live broadcasts of scientific events (via Facebook). TSPMI VU broadcasts its major scientific events (including conferences, research presentations, academic discussions etc.) on Facebook. It helps to reach the broader audience and inform about the ongoing research or results of significant research activities. The recordings are available here: https://www.facebook.com/TSPMI/videos;
3. 'Research@VU TSPMI'; – a bi-weekly segment on social media that introduces research conducted at VU TSPMI in a less formal way through short interviews with researchers;
4. A series of 10 videos – lectures recorded by professors of TSPMI VU aimed at contributing to strengthening public education and creating value for future generations can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist;
5. TSPMI VU Newsletter. The TSPMI VU Newsletter for subscribers includes the most recent publications by the Institute's staff, as well as information on other scientific activities, such as events dedicated to research projects, etc.